Altar of Auriga
The Altar of Auriga is a new game mechanic available through the Shifters expansion. = Description = The Altar of Auriga is a sacred building to those who live upon her. It is a center of ancient power from the times even before the Endless. By bringing her Pearls here and unlocking the Altar's Blessings, powerful magical effects can be applied to a city, region, or empire. = Building the Altar = Although the Altar screen is available from the start of the game by clicking on the Altar icon above the turn counter, the improvement needs to be built before the player can use it. The Altar of Auriga can be built in any city once the player has collected ten pearls, the new resource the Altar uses as currency. It does not require any prior research and can be built from turn one, although the player will usually build them during or after the first winter. = Pearl collection = Pearls appear on the map at the start of the first winter, and remain until collected. They stack if they are not collected, forming clusters that get bigger in size. To collect pearls, the player simply needs to move a unit or a hero to or through the hex tile containing them. The total number of pearls owned is displayed at the bottom right of the screen, above the turn counter. Note that the Allayi can also obtain pearls by searching ruins. = Blessings = Blessings are divided in three tiers, unlocked with each passing winter, starting from the center. To unlock a blessing, click on the desired blessing then click on the button marked Unlock the blessing. Blessings have a set cost in pearls. Tier 1 T1 Blessings cost 10 pearls to unlock (8 for Allayi). They unlock in the 1st winter. Nyctalopian Lenses City Improvement of lies (Vision) Garth of the Allayi Allayi specific building, their equivalent of boroughs Expansion (District) This garth, or sacred garden, is a center of work, study, and devotion, as well as a focal point for the power of the Pearls and the magics of Auriga. Effects -5 happiness on city tile +2 food on city tile +2 industry on city tile +2 dust on city tile +2 science on city tile +2 influence on city tile +4 dust per extra level of city tile +4 science per extra level on city tile +4 influence per extra level on city tile +20 fortification per extra level on city +15 happiness per extra level on city tile Can be used as resource extractor Availability Available every population from city population Cost 10 pearls 60 industry Tower of Truth Expansion (vision) This tower acts as a defensive shield for your city, striking those who would come and do ill to your empire. Effects +2 vision on defensive tower +10 fortification on defensive tower +0.3 retaliation damage per fortification on defensive tower Damage is spread across all units of unfriendly army at the start of the turn Requirements To be built on watchtower foundation revealed at era II Cost 10 pearls 75 industry Pearl Hoarding Stockpile (food) The magical properties of pearls can be used to preserve and empower all manner of basic resources. Pearls of Plenty Effects Creates food stockpiles Not instant and needs to be activated in the empire screen Cost 1600 industry 8 pearls Pearls of production Effects Creates industry stockpiles Not instant and needs to be activated in the empire screen Cost 1600 industry 8 pearls Pearls of Wisdom Effects Creates science stockpiles Not instant and needs to be activated in the empire screen Cost 1600 industry 8 pearls Tier 2 T2 Blessings cost 15 pearls to unlock (12 for Allayi). They unlock in the 2nd winter. Chapel of Auriga City improvement (minor village). A humble yet striking chapel, decorated with images of Auriga, becomes a place of reverence and draws lesser people to live and work in your city. Effects +1 pop on city per pacified village Does not apply to destroyed and converted villages. Cost 10 pearls 200 industry Shapeshifters Note: Allayi only Army action (shifting) While the different forms of the faction are generally tied to the seasons of Auriga, enough of the power from the Pearls can force this change at any time. Effects Can spend pearls to change form for the current turn. Pearl Smithing Item (Armor) Once the nature of Pearls are better understood, they can even be used - sparingly - in the smithy to apply marvelous effects to common metals. Effects Unlocks armors made of pearls Pearl Crafting Item (Accessory) Pearls are powerful, but also strange, fragile, and easily marred. To craft with them requires a high level of skill and great humility. Effects Unlocks accessories made of pearls. Blessings of the Mother Note: Allayi specific quest reward Empire (pearls) Blessed by one's closeness with and devotion to Auriga, the need for Pearls for great magics is reduced. Effects -20% blessing pearl cost on empire. Ice Works City improvement (industry) Far from being wastelands, frozen lakes and rivers provide fish, furs, ice, and other useful products during winter. Effects Need an exploited river, lake or sea tile to be built +10 industry on terrain with river during winter +10 industry on terrain with sea or lake during winter season with ice shelf. Cost 10 pearls 150 industry Tier 3 T3 Blessings cost 20 pearls to unlock (16 for Allayi). They unlock in the 3rd winter. Tower of Fidelity Note: Unlocking this and the tower of truth at the same time removes tower of truth as an option from the build menu. Expansion (Vision) Only the faithful and the true-hearted escape the wrath of this tower; those who come to destroy will be struck by its anger. Effects +3 vision on defensive tower +20 fortification on defensive tower +0.5 retaliation damage per fortification on defensive tower Damage is spread across all units of unfriendly army at the start of the turn Requirements To be built on the watchtower foundations revealed at era II Cost 20 pearls 100 industry Ward of Auriga City Improvement (Military) Any enemy troops daring to enter your city are struck by the holy wrath of Auriga; she does not wish to have her believers defiled! Effects +0.5 retaliation damage per fortification on city Damage is spread across all units of unfriendly army at the start of the turn cost 30 pearls 300 industry Strategic Intensifier Expansion (District) Tapping the great veins of power and magic in the Dust-filled crust of Auriga, these buildings improved by Pearls increase the quantities of riches that can be harvested from the planet. Effects x2 resource on resource extractor +10 science per level on city tile +10 science on terrain with strategic resources limited to one copy in your city requirements To be built on strategic resource deposit cost 10 pearls 200 industry Winter Borough Note: While it uses the same notation as other city tiles, the bonuses it gives actually apply to all tiles in your city. So if you have 10 tiles you get 10x the bonuses listed below. Expansion (District) Those who save in summer, profit in winter. Wise words, and in this case put to the test by preparing buildings, supplies, streets, and citizens for the worst of times. Effects +2 FOOD PER LEVEL ON CITY TILES DURING WINTER +2 INDUSTRY PER LEVEL ON CITY TILES DURING WINTER +2 DUST PER LEVEL ON CITY TILES DURING WINTER LIMITED TO ONE COPY IN YOUR CITY REQUIREMENTS TO BE BUILT DURING WINTER COST 20 pearls 300 industry Abbey of Anomalies EXPANSION (DISTRICT) It is a place of rich in the powers of Dust and Auriga's Pearls, and sanctified by prayer. Diligent study and work at the Abbey enhance the ability to draw riches from Anomalies in the city. EFFECTS x2 FOOD ON CITY TILE x2 DUST ON CITY TILE x2 SCIENCE ON CITY TILE x2 INFLUENCE ON CITY TILE x2 INDUSTRY ON CITY TILE x2 HAPPINESS ON CITY TILE +5 FOOD PER LEVEL ON CITY TILE +3 FOOD ON TERRAIN WITH ANOMALY LIMITED TO ONE COPY IN YOUR CITY REQUIREMENTS TO BE BUILT ON ANOMALY COST 10 PEARLS 200 INDUSTRY Luxury Intensifier Expansion (District) Luxuries of Auriga, those elements of both magic and wonderous beaty, can be made to yield more of their power when their exploitations are augmented by Auriga's Pearls. EFFECTS x2 resource on resource extractor +10 dust per level on city tile +10 dust on terrain with luxury resources limited to one copy in your city requirements To be built on luxury resource deposit cost 10 pearls 200 industry = Prayers = Pearls can also be used to pray at the Altar of Auriga, that is to say, to invest pearls in order to try and "vote for" one or several of a short-list of three winter effects. On the first turn of summer, a new set of three winter effect candidates is drawn and revealed in the altar: * The cost of a prayer increases with each turn of summer in order to encourage early voting. * Players can pray as many times as they can afford, but do not see other players' votes until the beginning of their next turn. * On the first turn of winter the candidate winter effect with the most prayers is applied. * The two losing events are returned to the draw pool, but will come back with a higher default amount of votes if they are selected several times in a game. Here are some examples of new winter effects: * +15% on Hostile Minor Faction unit attributes / -50% Assimilation cost. * All borders are temporary opened. * -5% Empire Dust per war declared / +50% on Diplomatic Points earned. * No Reinforcement flag on armies / -50% Unit Upkeep in armies. * Armies invisible on Forests. * Frozen Lakes and Seas !